Vessel closure system incorporating hidden message

ABSTRACT

A vessel closure system incorporating at least one hidden message is provided. The system includes a stopper reversibly occluding a vessel, and reversibly placing the vessel in fluid communication with an ambient atmosphere, in which the stopper has at least a first portion and a second part that incorporates a hidden message. The message may be humanly visually-perceptible indicia, or may further include stored, machine readable code. The message may be associated with any one of the surfaces of the stopper, or may be at least partially contained within a stopper void. The message may be included on a thin strip of material held between the stopper and the inside of a vessel neck. In some embodiments the stopper second portion may be envisioned as a type of “collar,” of many possible thicknesses, around part of the stopper first portion and the stopper portions may be adhered with an adhesive.

RELATED APPLICATIONS

This application claims the benefit of U.S. Provisional PatentApplication Ser. No. 61/094,468; filed Sep. 5, 2008; all of which isincorporated by reference as if completely written herein.

CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS

Not applicable.

STATEMENT REGARDING FEDERALLY SPONSORED RESEARCH OR DEVELOPMENT

Not applicable.

THE NAMES OF THE PARTIES TO A JOINT RESEARCH AGREEMENT

Not applicable.

INCORPORATION BY REFERENCE OF MATERIAL SUBMITTED ON A COMPACT DISC

Not applicable.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

(1) Technical Field

The disclosure herein relates to vessel closure systems, particularly avessel closure system incorporating a hidden message.

(2) Description of Related Art Including Information Disclosed Under 37C.F.R. 1.97 and 1.98

Without intending the relation of the following to constitute anyadmission as to the nature of prior art, related art includes U.S. Pat.No. 4,696,640; for a candle with a message inside which is exposed whenthe candle is burned or used. Related art also includes bars of soapwith messages inside which are exposed when the soap bar is used; suchas may be seen, in part, in U.S. Pat. Nos. 4,081,394 and 3,413,230.

(3) Background of the Invention

Many wine bottles have sealed corks with text written on the stopper,which, in a common embodiment, is a cork. Typically, but notexclusively, this text may be heat-branded or printed on the stopper.The text is generally related to the origin of the wine or the year inwhich the wine was produced. However, no corks, or bottle stoppers havedetailed or individualized messages associated with them. The subjectinvention satisfies the above deficiency and allows users to have anenhanced experience by getting a bottle stopper and message with anindividualized, or in some manner customized, written, audio or videomessage associated with a bottle of wine, either still or sparkling, or,as one skilled in the art would realize, any bottled item.

Wine stoppers with extensions or handles exist in the market and areused to temporarily seal a wine bottle after it has been opened. Thesewine stoppers are designed to preserve the wine after the original sealof the bottle has been opened and the cork or bottle stopper removed.These wine stoppers have handles or extensions that are attached to thecork or bottle stopper. The handles or extensions are outside of thebottle while the bottle stopper or cork is inside the bottle. Some ofthese wine stoppers have terms of endearment or logos on the handle orextension part of the wine stopper so that they are visible from outsidethe bottle.

The subject invention is different from existing vessel stoppers in manyrespects, but at least because it is based on a vessel stopper with amessage enclosed where the stopper is inserted in the vessel at the timeof manufacture and, in some embodiments, requires that the vesselstopper from the originally sealed vessel be removed in order to viewthe message. The subject invention enhances the experience of openingthe originally sealed vessel by providing the user with an experience ofreceiving a potentially individualized or otherwise custom message withthe vessel.

BRIEF SUMMARY OF INVENTION

In its most general configuration, the vessel closure systemincorporating hidden message advances the state of the art with avariety of new capabilities and overcomes many of the shortcomings ofprior devices in new and novel ways. In its most general sense, thevessel closure system incorporating hidden message overcomes theshortcomings and limitations of the prior art in any of a number ofgenerally effective configurations. The vessel closure systemincorporating hidden message demonstrates such capabilities andovercomes many of the shortcomings of prior methods in new and novelways.

The vessel closure system incorporating hidden message provides a methodfor incorporating hidden messages in association with a stoppered vesselcontaining still or sparkling wine, or as one skilled in the art wouldrealize, any beverage, foodstuff or other item which may be contained ina stoppered vessel.

The stopper of the system may have a stopper first portion and a stoppersecond portion. The stopper second portion may further include a hiddenmessage; and such message may take many forms, as will be described inexemplary embodiments, below. The system also includes a vessel.

In a relatively simple embodiment, the message may include humanlyvisually-perceptible indicia applied to the stopper second portion Suchindicia would be commonly envisioned as language text, but could also beany form of code or symbolic devices, and in some embodiments, theindicia is not visually perceptible through the vessel wall. In someembodiments, the message included on the stopper second portion is atleast partially in contact with the vessel wall neck portion insidesurface.

In some embodiments, by way of example only, the stopper second portionmay be envisioned as a type of “collar” around part of the stopper firstportion. Such a collar may be of virtually any thickness equal to orless than the stopper diameter, and in detailed embodiments describedbelow, various resiliency and porosity relationships within the stopperare described.

There are no particular methods required for joining of the stopperfirst portion and the stopper second portion, which need not even byphysically joined at all, although there are some embodiments where thestopper second portion is adhered to the stopper first portion with anadhesive.

In addition to the myriad embodiments where the hidden message may behumanly-perceptible indicia, the stopper second portion may includestored, machine readable code. By way of example, such code could berepresented in a large number of forms and embodiments, including suchdevices as chips and computer drives, having both read-only, andwritable memory devices.

To facilitate such hidden messages as part of a stopper second portion,the stopper may have a stopper internal void and the stopper secondportion may be at least partially contained in the stopper internalvoid. The stopper internal void may be in virtually any positionrelative to the first stopper portion and may be in actual or potentialcommunication with an external surface of the stopper.

The stopper may include a stopper third portion cooperating with eitheror both the stopper first portion and/or the stopper second portion.There is no particular volume relationship between the stopper internalvoid and the stopper second portion which may fully fill the stopperinternal void or only partially fill the stopper internal void, and apuncture barrier may help protect the stopper void, and hence, thestopper second portion.

The vessel closure system incorporating hidden message disclosed hereinenables a significant advance in the state of the art. Variations,modifications, alternatives, and alterations of the various preferredembodiments may be used alone or in combination with one another, aswill become more readily apparent to those with skill in the art withreference to the following detailed description of the preferredembodiments and the accompanying figures and drawings.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE SEVERAL VIEWS OF THE DRAWINGS

Without limiting the scope of the vessel closure system incorporatinghidden message as claimed below and referring now to the drawings andfigures:

FIG. 1 is a cross-section of prior art related to vessel closuresystems;

FIG. 2 is a cross-section view of an embodiment of a stopper as part ofa vessel closure system according to the instant invention;

FIG. 3 is a cross-section view of an embodiment of a vessel closuresystem according to the instant invention;

FIG. 4 is an exploded cross-section view of an embodiment of a vesselclosure system according to the instant invention;

FIG. 5 is an elevated perspective view of an embodiment of a stopper aspart of a vessel closure system according to the instant invention;

FIG. 6 is an exploded cross-section view of an embodiment of a stopperas part of a vessel closure system according to the instant invention;

FIG. 7 is an exploded cross-section view of another embodiment of astopper as part of a vessel closure system according to the instantinvention;

FIG. 8 is a cross-section view of another embodiment of a stopper aspart of a vessel closure system according to the instant invention;

FIG. 9 is an exploded cross-section view of another embodiment of astopper as part of a vessel closure system according to the instantinvention;

FIG. 10 is a cross-section view of another embodiment of a stopper aspart of a vessel closure system according to the instant invention; and

FIG. 11 is a cross-section view of another embodiment of a stopper aspart of a vessel closure system according to the instant invention.

These drawings are provided to assist in the understanding of theexemplary embodiments of the invention as described in more detail belowand should not be construed as unduly limiting the invention. Inparticular, the relative spacing, positioning, sizing and dimensions ofthe various elements illustrated in the drawings are not drawn to scaleand may have been exaggerated, reduced or otherwise modified for thepurpose of improved clarity. Those of ordinary skill in the art willalso appreciate that a range of alternative configurations have beenomitted simply to improve the clarity and reduce the number of drawings.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

A vessel closure system incorporating hidden message (10) enables asignificant advance in the state of the art. The preferred embodimentsof the device accomplish this by new and novel arrangements of elementsand methods that are configured in unique and novel ways and whichdemonstrate previously unavailable but preferred and desirablecapabilities. The detailed description set forth below in connectionwith the drawings is intended merely as a description of the presentlypreferred embodiments of the vessel closure system incorporating hiddenmessage (10), and is not intended to represent the only form in whichthe vessel closure system incorporating hidden message (10) may beconstructed or utilized. The description sets forth the designs,functions, means, and methods of implementing the vessel closure systemincorporating hidden message (10) in connection with the illustratedembodiments. It is to be understood, however, that the same orequivalent functions and features may be accomplished by differentembodiments that are also intended to be encompassed within the spiritand scope of the claimed vessel closure system incorporating hiddenmessage (10).

The vessel closure system incorporating hidden message (10) disclosedherein provides a method for conveniently enclosing at least one hiddenmessage is a stoppered vessel containing still or sparkling wine, or asone skilled in the art would realize, any beverage, foodstuff or otheritem which may be contained in a stoppered vessel. By way of reference atypical stoppered vessel from the prior art, shown by way of example andnot limitation only as a corked bottle, is seen in FIG. 1.

As seen in FIGS. 1-11, and initially as in FIGS. 1 and 2, the vesselclosure system (10) of the invention may include a stopper (100); havingat least a stopper first portion (110) formed of a stopper firstmaterial having material properties that include a stopper firstmaterial resilience and a stopper first material porosity. The stopper(100) may have at least one stopper first portion sealing surface (111),at least one stopper first portion top surface (112), and at least onestopper first portion bottom surface (114).

The stopper (100) also may include at least a stopper second portion(150) formed of a stopper second material having material propertiesthat include a stopper second material resilience and a stopper secondmaterial porosity. The stopper second portion (150) may further includea hidden message; and such message may take many forms, as will bedescribed in exemplary embodiments, below.

The system also includes, in cooperation with the stopper (100), avessel (200) having at least a vessel wall (205) enclosing a vesselvolume (240). There is at least a vessel opening (202) in the vesselwall (205) placing the vessel volume (240) in fluid communication withan ambient atmosphere. There are also various structural subdivisions,which may be conceptual rather than representing any obvious physicaldemarcation, which include the vessel having a vessel wall neck portion(210) having a vessel wall neck portion inside surface (212), and avessel wall neck portion outside surface (214). For the purposes of thisteaching, and considering that many vessels may not have elongated orotherwise immediately obvious physical neck portions (210), it isspecifically intended that the vessel neck portion (205) represents anyportion of the vessel wall (205) cooperating with the stopper (100) forclosure of the vessel (200).

The vessel (200) may also have a vessel wall body portion (230) having avessel wall body portion inside surface (232) and a vessel wall bodyportion outside surface (234). The stopper (100) is at least partiallycontainable within the vessel opening (202) and the stopper firstportion sealing surface (111) may cooperate with the vessel neck portionwall (210) to reversibly seal the vessel opening (202) and thereby placethe vessel volume (240) in reversible fluid communication with theambient atmosphere.

The hidden message may take many forms. In a relatively simpleembodiment, the message may include humanly visually-perceptible indicia(300) applied to the stopper second portion (150), such as is seen inFIG. 2. Such indicia (300) might be commonly envisioned as languagetext, but could also be any form of code or symbolic devices. In anotherembodiment, the indicia (300) are not visually perceptible through thevessel wall (205). Such obscuration of the message may be accomplished,by way of example and not limitation, but any means known to one skilledin the art, such as using an opaque or translucent vessel wall (205)material, orienting the message so that it could not be seen through thevessel wall (205), or covering the appropriate area of the vessel wall(205) with an opaque application of material.

In some embodiments, the message included on the stopper second portion(150) is at least partially in contact with the vessel wall neck portioninside surface (212), as seen in FIGS. 2 and 3. The amount of stoppersecond portion (150), in such embodiments, in contact with the vesselwall neck portion inside surface (212) may be highly variable, and incertain embodiments, the stopper second portion (150) has a stoppersecond portion surface area in contact with the vessel wall neck portioninside surface (212) that is less than or equal to 30% of a stopperfirst portion surface area of the stopper first portion sealing surface(111) in contact with the vessel wall neck portion inside surface (212).Such proportions will be easily calculable by one skilled in the art totake into account factors such as the relative sealing needs of thevessel (200) and any contents, and the relative sealing qualities of thestopper first portion (110) and stopper second portion (150).

In some embodiments, such as those seen in FIGS. 3-5, the vessel closuresystem (10), is configured such that the stopper first portion (110) andthe stopper second portion (150) are cylindrical and coaxial and thestopper first portion (110) has at least a first stopper first portiondiameter (116) that is larger than at least one stopper second portiondiameter (156). This may, by way of example, allow for compression ofthe stopper first portion (110) greater than any compression of thestopper second portion (150) to improve the sealing qualities of thesystem. For example, FIG. 3 illustrates such an embodiment, when thestopper (100), not placed in the vessel (200), has a first stopper firstportion diameter (116) that is larger than at least one stopper secondportion diameter (156). This, functionally, is intended to represent arelatively more compressible stopper first portion (110), that willbecome more compressed that the stopper second portion (150), which maybe non-compressible or effectively non-compressible, when the system(10) is assembled.

In other embodiments, the vessel closure system may be seen, asillustrated in FIGS. 4 and 5, such the at least one stopper firstportion diameter (116) further comprises at least a first stopper firstportion diameter (116) and at least a second stopper first portiondiameter (117) where the at least one second stopper first portiondiameter (117) is less than at least one stopper second portion diameter(156). Thus, by way of example only, the stopper second portion (150)may be envisioned as a type of “collar” around part of the stopper firstportion (110).

There is no particular thickness, again in reference to FIGS. 4 and 5,measured in a radial direction from the center of the stopper (100)envisioned as being required for the stopper second portion (150) in anyembodiment, nor any particular resiliency, or porosity. In someembodiments, the stopper second portion (150) may be a relatively thinand relatively non-porous sheet material that is held between thestopper first portion (110) and the vessel wall neck portion insidesurface (212). Further illustrative embodiments, include embodimentswhere the stopper second material porosity is less than 10% and thestopper second portion (150) has a stopper second portion width (152),and a stopper second portion thickness (153), and wherein the stoppersecond portion thickness (153) is less than 20% of the stopper secondportion width (152).

As noted, there is also no particular resilience or porosity required inthe materials of which the stopper first portion (110), and the stoppersecond portion (150) are made, other than to satisfy the requirement ofone skilled in the art that the system (10) possess adequate sealingfunction. There is also no particular requirement as to the individualcontribution to sealing made by the stopper first portion (110) and thestopper second portion (150), so long as the combined contribution ofthese elements is adequate. To the extent that proper sealing is relatedto the compression of an at least partially resilient stopper (100),embodiments are envisioned in which the first stopper materialresilience is at least ten times as great as the second stopper materialresilience. There are also embodiments envisioned in which the firststopper material resilience is at least fifty times as great as thesecond stopper material resilience. Such relationships are calculated byreference to Modulus of Resilience, U_(r), of the stopper materials,which can be calculated using the following formula:

${U_{r} = {\frac{\sigma^{2}}{2E} = {{0.5{\sigma\varepsilon}} = {0.5{\sigma \left( \frac{\sigma}{E} \right)}}}}},$

where σ is yield stress, E is Young's modulus, and ε is strain.

As to porosity, other than having, as one skilled in the art would know,adequate breathability to suit the contents of the vessel (200), thereare also no particular requirements as to the porosity of the materialsforming individual components of the stopper (100), other than thefunctional requirements previously delineated. In some embodiments,functionality in enhanced by utilizing materials of differing porositywithin the stopper (100), and embodiments are envisioned in which thestopper first material porosity is at least ten times as great as thestopper second material porosity.

There are no particular methods required for joining of the stopperfirst portion (110) and the stopper second portion (150), which need noteven by physically joined at all, although there are some embodimentswhere the stopper second portion (150) is adhered to the stopper firstportion (110) with an adhesive. One skilled in the art will be able todetermine suitable adhesives, including suitable non-toxic adhesivesappropriate for special circumstances such as in the beverage orfoodstuff industries.

In addition to the myriad embodiments where the hidden message may behumanly-perceptible indicia as part of the stopper second portion (150),such a stopper second portion (150) may to some extent include stored,machine readable code. By way of example, such code could be representedin a large number of forms and embodiments, including such devices aschips and computer drives, having both read-only, and possibly writablememory devices.

To facilitate such hidden messages as part of a stopper second portion(150), the stopper (100) may have a stopper internal void (180) and thestopper second portion (150) may be at least partially contained in thestopper internal void (180), such as is seen in FIGS. 6-11. Variousillustrative embodiments of stopper internal voids (180) may be seen inFIGS. 6 and 7. There are no particular size requirements as to thestopper internal void (180) and no particular requirements as to whetherthe stopper internal void (180) may be in actual or potentialcommunication with an external surface of the stopper. For example, inone potential embodiment, it may be necessary to break the stopper (100)open in order to access the stopper internal void (180).

In various other embodiments, the stopper (100) may include a stopperthird portion (190) that is at least in partial contact with the stopperfirst portion (110) and the stopper second portion (150), and thosewhere there is a stopper third portion (190) that is at least in partialcontact with the stopper second portion (150), as seen in FIG. 8. Thestopper internal void (180) may be at least partially bounded by thestopper first portion (110) and at least partially bounded by thestopper third portion (190), again as illustrated in FIG. 8. The stopperinternal void (180) may be at least partially bounded by a stopper thirdportion (190), as seen in FIG. 9.

Variations on such embodiments are illustrated by way of example only inFIGS. 8-10. There is no particular volume relationship between thestopper internal void (180) and the stopper second portion (150) whichmay fully fill the stopper internal void (180) as illustrated in FIGS. 8and 9, or only partially fill the stopper internal void (180), asillustrated in FIG. 10. As seen in FIG. 11, a portion of the stopperfirst portion (110) the stopper second portion (150) may lie outside ofthe vessel (200) and vessel volume (240). This may be particularlyappropriate for certain types of beverage stoppers, such as theprototypical sparkling wine style stopper illustrated, by way of exampleonly and not limitation, in FIG. 11. In such an embodiment, the stoppersecond portion (150) may be, but is not necessarily, covered by wax,metal foil or a metal device.

It may be desirable, in some embodiments, to at least partially protectthe stopper second portion (150) from the effects of certain vessel(200) opening technologies. For example, it may be desirable to at leastpartially protect the stopper second portion (150) from the depredationsof a corkscrew, and it may desirable for the stopper first portion (110)and the stopper second portion (150) to have a stopper portion interface(160) that at least partially includes a puncture barrier (170).

One skilled in the art will note that there is no particular requirementthat any stopper internal void (180) communicate with any particularsurface of the stopper (100), if there is, in fact, any suchcommunication with a surface at all. In one embodiment, the stopperinternal void (180) is at least partially bounded by the stopper topsurface (110), and potentially, the hidden message included in thestopper second portion (150) may be accessed without removing thestopper (100) from the vessel (200).

In one particular, and not exclusionary embodiment, the vessel closuresystem (10) includes a stopper (100) having a stopper internal void(180), and at least some of the following features. There is at least astopper first portion (110) formed of a stopper first material having astopper first material resilience and a stopper first material porosity.The stopper first portion (110) has at least one stopper first portionsealing surface (111), at least one stopper first portion top surface(112), and at least one stopper first portion bottom surface (114).

The vessel closure system may further include at least a stopper secondportion (150) at least partially contained within the stopper internalvoid (180) and formed of a stopper second material having a stoppersecond material resilience less than that of the stopper first materialresilience and a stopper second material porosity less than that of thestopper first material porosity. The stopper section portion (150) mayinclude a hidden message that further encompasses, at least in part,stored, machine readable code.

In such an embodiment, the vessel (200) may have at least a vessel wall(205) enclosing a vessel volume (240), and at least a vessel opening(202) in the vessel wall (205) placing the vessel volume (240) in fluidcommunication with an ambient atmosphere. As part of the vessel wall(205), the embodiment may have a vessel wall neck portion (210) with avessel wall neck portion inside surface (212), and a vessel wall neckportion outside surface (214). There may be a vessel wall body portion(230) having a vessel wall body portion inside surface (232) and avessel wall body portion outside surface (234).

As detailed in other embodiments above, the stopper (100) is at leastpartially containable within the vessel opening (202) and the stopperfirst portion sealing surface (111) cooperates with the vessel neckportion wall (210) to reversibly seal the vessel opening (202) andthereby place the vessel volume (240) in reversible fluid communicationwith the ambient atmosphere.

One skilled in the art will readily see that any features taught abovemay be combined with other features, even if such combination has notbeen explicitly iterated or illustrated above.

Numerous alterations, modifications, and variations of the preferredembodiments disclosed herein will be apparent to those skilled in theart and they are all anticipated and contemplated to be within thespirit and scope of the claimed vessel closure system incorporatinghidden message (10). For example, although specific embodiments havebeen described in detail, those with skill in the art will understandthat the preceding embodiments and variations can be modified toincorporate various types of substitute and or additional or alternativematerials, relative arrangement of elements, and dimensionalconfigurations. Accordingly, even though only few variations of thevessel closure system incorporating hidden message (10) are describedherein, it is to be understood that the practice of such additionalmodifications and variations and the equivalents thereof, are within thespirit and scope of the vessel closure system incorporating hiddenmessage (10) as defined in the following claims. The correspondingstructures, materials, acts, and equivalents of all means or step plusfunction elements in the claims below are intended to include anystructure, material, or acts for performing the functions in combinationwith other claimed elements as specifically claimed.

1. A vessel closure system (10), comprising: (A) a stopper (100); (i)having at least a stopper first portion (110) formed of a stopper firstmaterial having a stopper first material resilience and a stopper firstmaterial porosity, at least one stopper first portion sealing surface(111), at least one stopper first portion top surface (112), and atleast one stopper first portion bottom surface (114); (ii) at least astopper second portion (150) formed of a stopper second material havinga stopper second material resilience and a stopper second materialporosity, comprising a hidden message; (B) a vessel (200) having atleast a vessel wall (205) enclosing a vessel volume (240), at least avessel opening (202) in the vessel wall (205) placing the vessel volume(240) in fluid communication with an ambient atmosphere, wherein thevessel wall (205) further comprises; (i) a vessel wall neck portion(210) having a vessel wall neck portion inside surface (212), and avessel wall neck portion outside surface (214); (ii) a vessel wall bodyportion (230) having a vessel wall body portion inside surface (232) anda vessel wall body portion outside surface (234); and (C) wherein thestopper (100) is at least partially containable within the vesselopening (202) and the stopper first portion sealing surface (111)cooperates with the vessel neck portion wall (210) to reversibly sealthe vessel opening (202) and thereby place the vessel volume (240) inreversible fluid communication with the ambient atmosphere.
 2. Thevessel closure system (10) according to claim 1, wherein the hiddenmessage comprises humanly visually-perceptible indicia (300) applied tothe stopper second portion (150).
 3. The vessel closure system (10)according to claim 2, wherein the indicia (300) is not visuallyperceptible through the vessel wall (205).
 4. The vessel closure system(10) according to claim 1, wherein the stopper second portion (150) isat least partially in contact with the vessel wall neck portion insidesurface (212).
 5. The vessel closure system (10) according to claim 4,wherein the stopper second portion (150) has a stopper second portionsurface area in contact with the vessel wall neck portion inside surface(212) that is less than or equal to 30% of a stopper first portionsurface area of the stopper first portion sealing surface (111) incontact with the vessel wall neck portion inside surface (212).
 6. Thevessel closure system (10) according to claim 1, wherein the stopperfirst portion (110) and the stopper second portion (150) are cylindricaland coaxial and the stopper first portion (110) has at least a firststopper first portion diameter (116) that is larger than at least onestopper second portion diameter (156).
 7. The vessel closure system (10)according to claim 6, wherein the at least one stopper first portiondiameter (116) further comprises at least a first stopper first portiondiameter (116) and at least a second stopper first portion diameter(117) where the at least one second stopper first portion diameter (117)is less than at least one stopper second portion diameter (156).
 8. Thevessel closure system (10) according to claim 1, wherein the stoppersecond material porosity is less than 10% and the stopper second portion(150) has a stopper second portion width (152), and a stopper secondportion thickness (153), and wherein the stopper second portionthickness (153) is less than 20% of the stopper second portion width(152).
 9. The vessel closure system (10) according to claim 1, whereinthe first stopper material resilience is at least ten times as great asthe second stopper material resilience.
 10. The vessel closure system(10) according to claim 1, wherein the first stopper material resilienceis at least fifty times as great as the second stopper materialresilience.
 11. The vessel closure system (10) according to claim 1,wherein the stopper second portion (150) is adhered to the stopper firstportion (110) with a non-toxic adhesive.
 12. The vessel closure system(10) according to claim 1, wherein the stopper first material porosityis at least ten times as great as the stopper second material porosity.13. The vessel closure system (10) according to claim 1, wherein atleast a portion of the stopper first portion (110) and the stoppersecond portion (150) are outside of the vessel volume (240).
 14. Avessel closure system (10), comprising: (A) a stopper (100); (i) havingat least a stopper first portion (110) formed of a stopper firstmaterial having a stopper first material resilience and a stopper firstmaterial porosity, at least one stopper first portion sealing surface(111), at least one stopper first portion top surface (112), and atleast one stopper first portion bottom surface (114); (ii) at least astopper second portion (150) formed of a stopper second material havinga stopper second material resilience and a stopper second materialporosity, comprising a hidden message that further comprises stored,machine readable code; (B) a vessel (200) having at least a vessel wall(205) enclosing a vessel volume (240), at least a vessel opening (202)in the vessel wall (205) placing the vessel volume (240) in fluidcommunication with an ambient atmosphere, wherein the vessel wall (205)further comprises; (i) a vessel wall neck portion (210) having a vesselwall neck portion inside surface (212), and a vessel wall neck portionoutside surface (214); (ii) a vessel wall body portion (230) having avessel wall body portion inside surface (232) and a vessel wall bodyportion outside surface (234); and (C) wherein the stopper (100) is atleast partially containable within the vessel opening (202) and thestopper first portion sealing surface (111) cooperates with the vesselneck portion wall (210) to reversibly seal the vessel opening (202) andthereby place the vessel volume (240) in reversible fluid communicationwith the ambient atmosphere.
 15. The vessel closure system (10)according to claim 14, wherein the stopper (100) further comprises astopper internal void (180) and the stopper second portion (150) is atleast partially contained in the stopper internal void (180).
 16. Thevessel closure system (10) according to claim 14, further comprising astopper third portion (190) that is at least in partial contact with thestopper first portion (110) and the stopper second portion (150). 17.The vessel closure system (10) according to claim 14, further comprisinga stopper third portion (190) that is at least in partial contact withthe stopper second portion (150).
 18. The vessel closure system (10)according to claim 14, wherein the stopper first portion (110) and thestopper second portion (150) have a stopper portion interface (160) thatat least partially comprises a puncture barrier (170).
 19. The vesselclosure system (10) according to claim 15, wherein the stopper internalvoid (180) is at least partially bounded by a stopper third portion(190).
 20. The vessel closure system (10) according to claim 15, whereinthe stopper internal void (180) is at least partially bounded by thestopper first portion (110) and at least partially bounded by thestopper third portion (190).
 21. The vessel closure system (10)according to claim 15, wherein the stopper internal void (180) is atleast partially bounded by the stopper top surface (110).
 22. A vesselclosure system (10), comprising: (A) a stopper (100) having a stopperinternal void (180); (i) having at least a stopper first portion (110)formed of a stopper first material having a stopper first materialresilience and a stopper first material porosity, at least one stopperfirst portion sealing surface (111), at least one stopper first portiontop surface (112), and at least one stopper first portion bottom surface(114); (ii) at least a stopper second portion (150) at least partiallycontained within the stopper internal void (180) and formed of a stoppersecond material having a stopper second material resilience less thanthat of the stopper first material resilience and a stopper secondmaterial porosity less than that of the stopper first material porosity,comprising a hidden message that further comprises stored, machinereadable code; (B) a vessel (200) having at least a vessel wall (205)enclosing a vessel volume (240), at least a vessel opening (202) in thevessel wall (205) placing the vessel volume (240) in fluid communicationwith an ambient atmosphere, wherein the vessel wall (205) furthercomprises; (i) a vessel wall neck portion (210) having a vessel wallneck portion inside surface (212), and a vessel wall neck portionoutside surface (214); (ii) a vessel wall body portion (230) having avessel wall body portion inside surface (232) and a vessel wall bodyportion outside surface (234); and (C) wherein the stopper (100) is atleast partially containable within the vessel opening (202) and thestopper first portion sealing surface (111) cooperates with the vesselneck portion wall (210) to reversibly seal the vessel opening (202) andthereby place the vessel volume (240) in reversible fluid communicationwith the ambient atmosphere.